It's where they tried to improve that made the difference.
It's not just Matt. Carter and Minards were working on the IMG targets before anyone else and that's why Matt has a good platform.
So I'm not really sure where you think I'm wrong. Especially as it us my opinion on IMG. You are entitled to yours.

I do realise my 'not bothered' comment was probably too strong.

Sorry should of made it clearer.. I was talking about clubs that make promotion from league 1 to championship.
Those clubs are way off being able to fill the criteria for SL.
If they continue to improve after promotion then make them fulfill the IMG criteria

Ah OK.
I think they way they are looking to help that is a money reward for winning the playff/grand final.....and so helping them finance those changes.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/footbal ... b15ec&ei=9

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/footbal ... b15ec&ei=9

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... g-30351428 Wish they would just stop dicking about with this, clubs were planning on one thing and now this is adding another into the mix.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... g-30351428 Wish they would just stop dicking about with this, clubs were planning on one thing and now this is adding another into the mix.

Boo hoo. Some clubs like fans can’t accept change from a promotion and relegation system. The sport should stop pandering to them.

How quickly we forget about our own history. We now have an owner with genuine financial resources who was able to secure our return to SL. I don’t want to think where we would be without him and it might have been us wanting the return of promotion and relegation.
The sport never pandered to any group of teams outside SL. I actually believe the Championship will be an exciting league but without much coverage.

We don’t forget about our own history. Whether it be promotion and relegation or IMG I have no doubt that Ellis would have made the required investment. That doesn’t have anything to do with changing and modifying the IMG structure after year 1 implementation though.

If we had failed to make the 12 I would still not want to see any large changes. You shouldn’t change the criteria when clubs are and have been planning to meet the current criteria. Let’s also not forget that recruitment has been completed by most clubs now too so if you change the on field importance of being promoted as a B regardless then clubs who have invested in other parts of the criteria have missed the boat.

If it absolutely has to be reviewed then you do so now for planning and discussion for implantation for 2026 not 2025 comp where pre season is starting imminently.

Absolutely boggles my mind how things don’t get properly structured and planned. Though I suspect this is more just airing out some concerns of the few and paying some lip service perhaps for future consideration and discussion.

I think the criteria is OK to modify as you learn and progress but you shouldn't be changing fundamental principles after a year.

Important to remember nothing’s changing though, and no one’s dicking about. It’s just Batley’s board saying they’ll put a motion forward to have some sort of P&R - their only hope of playing in the top tier. I don’t blame them as such.

What’s sadder is the coverage, which is designed to get people to click and groan and repost. Not blaming that on Matt Shaw as such, it’s just the state of play now.

Like that headline is about as untrue as you can stretch it while still being true

Minor tweaks being made to criteria for next season's gradings... https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/other/e ... f912&ei=23

Minor tweaks being made to criteria for next season's gradings... https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/other/e ... f912&ei=23

All understandable but the catchment one is the one that will help us the most.

Not sure how that works PT, Trinity, Cas and Fev will still be competing for the same fans in the WMDC catchment area.

My take on it is that we can nominate somewhere like Barnsley Local Authority area to boost our own catchment area ??

I've been waiting for this subject to come up as a Barnsley lad born and bred and a Barnsley FC fan .

The time to put some work in to attracting new fans from over here is right now , probably as greater time than there's ever been .

Barnsley FC are losing fans by the hundreds , the club is in serious managed decline and the apathy surrounding the club is significant .

There's a huge opportunity to tap in to this apathy and direct it towards Trinity with a decent marketing strategy , I don't actually have any concerns about Barnsley losing fans to Trinity , firstly the two sports aren't competitors as such given RL is primarily a summer sport and my opinion Barnsley deserve to lose fans given the way the club is run and the overall match day experience and the state of the stadium .

If you were to talk to Matt Ellis he'd probably tell you the same .

Darton , Kexborough , Staincross , Mapplewell , Royston , Athersley are less than half an hour from Belle Vue , I live in Staincross and it takes less than 15 minutes to get to Belle Vue .

You get people coming through those turnstiles , decent match day experience with food and drink , a nice warm evening and a cracking Super League game and I'll guarantee you'll get many returning .

Many Barnsley fans are crying out for something else to do such is the apathy and I think it's not just BFC but the way football has now gone .

I've followed the club all over the country and fallen out with it big time and there are hundreds like me .

Just to add regarding Barnsley Council , they are very protective over Barnsley FC , they now own the ground , training facilities and surrounding land 100% .

They also know full well the Barnsley FC match day economy to the town .

I'm not certain they would be too enthusiastic about having links to Trinity if they saw them as a threat to BFC .

Trinity in my opinion would have to market the Barnsley area themselves .

Never mind mate, no-one will hold that against you....


Seriously, you're right about BFC - shockingly led club. My bro in law and nephew are season ticket holders and don't go to all the home games.... I haven't been since last season.
With Matt being a Barnsley lad, I think it would be easier for us to attract fans - I have emailed the club to offer any help and I have friends who are planning to come to a game next season.
Also, I think any potential fans that live near town ( I live in Old Town) or even Wombwell/Elsecar too, as they can catch the train as I do from Barnsley, so it could expand the area even further.

Yep, with Matts' enthusiasm I don;'t think we'd need Barnsley Council,,,,,

Think it's worth taking a loop fixture to Barnsley at some point.

It was great at Oakwell......
Think it was Matt's first ever game???
And a mere ten minute walk for me too!

I wonder if the Barnsley Chronicle have taken interest in what ME has done/is doing?
I know they did put a small mention in the Chronicle when he bought the club- would have thought with him being a Barnsley lad, they'd have shown a little interest - perhaps they already have?

I'm no marketing expert by any means but none the less the starting point is young school kids in my opinion in the Barnsley area .

Through schools perhaps you could have a few players going along and maybe doing a bit of touch rugby league with them and a Q&A session afterwards perhaps .

They could give away some free tickets with a parent also receiving them , you'd probably have to pick a non school night and possibly the warmer time of the season .

Saturday 5th July home to the Catalan Dragons looks perfect given Catalan don't bring any fans so the free tickets would be perfect for the West Terrace maybe and you aren't really losing out on income .

What's killing BFC is the lack of any connection between fans and ownership these days , back in the day this was always something the club had , the club was always right in the heart of the community and something the town could be proud of .

That's taken a huge knock these days , it's not necessarily the results or the the fact the club are in league one for the third consecutive season , we've had spells like this before and worst times but the fan base didn't feel the disconnect like they do right now .

The one thing Rugby League and especially Trinity are good at is it's connection with its fan base , the community projects they do and with Matt on board this has gone to a higher level with the improvement in facilities .

I'm convinced targeting the Barnsley area would reap rewards given where the club want to go on the field .

Honestly there's never been a better time than right now to do this because BFC aren't getting their act together anytime soon and may well get even worse on the field .

I understand exactly what you're saying.

I've supported a football team for over 50 years and I still love the club (it doesn't matter which one). But I hate the way football has gone recently, and because there is effectively an infinite demand for tickets - certainly at Premier League games - the fans are treated with utter contempt. I'll always follow my team, as it's been my whole life - but I've been supporting Wakey now for a couple of years. And I love it. I just get the feeling that they actually value my support, instead of trying to fleece me. I feel appreciated

I love it that I can just go online and buy a ticket. I don't have to have had some expensive special membership for donkeys years.

I can stand up on a terrace, just like I used in the good old days.

I can go into the ground without being bodily searched and made to feel like a terrorist.

I can cheer on players who aren't paid £100,000's per week, and don't roll around faking injury every time someone comes within 2 feet of them.

I'm a newcomer, but basically I love it. There must be more like me out there. I can't be the only one.

You aren't the only one by any means WT , I introduced the wife to Trinity last season , by her own admission she never thought she'd be into Rugby League even though she's a very keen football fan .

A work mate was supposed to be going to the opening game against the Bulls and couldn't make it at the last minute so she stepped in so as not to let the ticket go to waste .

Absolutely loves it and gets really in to it too , arguing like a good un with some Fev fans in the home game , I can't win an argument with her either so I knew they'd no chance .

Now she's got the new Trinity shirt to go with the Wembley one from last season and we are now both ST holders in the NF Stand .

Barnsley lass through and through but loves Trinity , the same thing happened to me when I first walked through those turnstiles at Belle Vue over 40 years ago , that's all it takes no matter where your from , as soon as the club get in your blood your a Trinity fan just as much as someone from Sandal or Stanley .